Manager, IT Support Centre

COVID 19 On-Campus Requirements

Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to declare their COVID-19 vaccination status and provide proof that they were fully vaccinated or had an approved accommodation to engage in in-person University activities. These requirements were suspended effective May 1, 2022, but the University may reinstate them at any point.

About Queen's University

Queen’s University is the Canadian research intensive university with a transformative student learning experience. Here the employment experience is as diverse as it is interesting. We have opportunities in multiple areas of globally recognized research, faculty administration, engineering & construction, athletics & recreation, power generation, corporate shared services, and many more.

We are committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcome applications from individuals from equity seeking groups such as women, racialized/visible minorities, Indigenous/Aboriginal peoples, persons with a disability, persons who identify in the LGBTQ+ community and others who reflect the diversity of Canadian society.

Come work with us!

Applicant Guidance & Information

At Queen's, we are committed to helping people achieve their best. Whether you are beginning your career at Queen's or seeking your next opportunity, we are here to support you. Visit our Applicant Resources for guidance on applying, showcasing your skills and experience, and preparing for interviews.

Disclaimer: As part of the application process at Queen's University, our recruitment system uses Artificial Intelligence (AI), as defined under the Ontario Employment Standards Act, to ask job-related questions and confirm eligibility for hire. All final hiring decisions are made using non-AI related processes.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Director, Service Delivery and Innovation, the Manager, Information Technology Support Centre (ITSC) (Manager) is responsible for ensuring high-quality, timely front-line support for staff, faculty, and students across the full range of IT services at Queen’s. The Manager will lead, coach, and develop a diverse team of help desk and support staff to deliver consistent, client-focused service through in-person, phone, and remote channels while meeting established Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and service quality targets. This role oversees day-to-day operations of the IT Support Centre, including incident and request handling, escalation management, workforce scheduling, knowledge-base and documentation upkeep, performance reporting, and continuous process improvement using IT Service Management Software (ITSM) best practices. The Manager will partner closely with IT Services leadership, technical teams, stakeholders across campus, and vendors to coordinate service delivery, support major changes and projects, and drive initiatives that improve client satisfaction, efficiency, and the overall service lifecycle. The successful incumbent will be accountable for service metrics, staff development, resource planning, and fostering a collaborative, resilient team culture that aligns with institutional priorities.

Job Description

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Leads and manages the IT Support Centre’s day-to-day operations delivering client centric frontline support (phone, in-person, chat, remote) for network access, printing, hosting, applications, endpoints, and teaching & learning resources.
• Acts as the initial point of contact and coordinator for incident response and major incident management, ensuring timely escalation and communication.
• Responsible for ensuring SLAs, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and client satisfaction targets for supported services are met; monitors, analyzes and reports performance and uses data to drive improvements.
• Implements and enforces ITSM best practices (incident, change, event, request and IT Asset Management) and leads continuous improvement initiatives as they relate or contribute to the ITSC.
• Maintains and grows Queen’s Community knowledge through self-service resources and documentation to reduce repeat incidents and empower users.
• Manages the main Queen’s switchboard including staffing, training and performance management of the team. Communicates with administrative and teaching units throughout the year to address call trends.
• Coordinates with service managers, technical teams, project managers and stakeholders to ensure smooth service transitions, deployments and operational readiness.
• Manages vendor and third-party relationships relevant to the Support Centre’s tools, contracts and escalations. This includes contributing to other Service Delivery teams that have ITSC related tools and contracts (such as online proctoring solutions).
• Ensures client service, security, privacy and compliance are embedded in support practices and participate in business continuity and disaster recovery planning and after hours escalation procedures.
• Champions adoption of support tooling, automation and reporting capabilities to improve efficiency and service quality.
• Communicates team and project status to stakeholders, captures operational requirements, and contributes to service design and lifecycle governance.
• Plans, prioritizes and manages the work of employees, providing strategic and tactical advice, guidance and coaching. Identifies the need for staff resources, participates on staffing committees, and makes effective recommendations regarding employee selection.
• Manages performance by establishing performance standards, reviewing and evaluating performance and conducting formal performance reviews on an ongoing basis.
• Assesses staff training and development needs and ensures that employees receive training required to improve and sustain successful performance.
• Investigates, addresses and resolves employee/labour relations issues, including disciplinary matters. Recommends an appropriate course of action including discipline, discharge and probationary termination.
• After hours availability: required to be available after hours for emergency contact and to support the team during any significant incidents, upgrades or project implementations.
• Promotes an inclusive, client-focused culture that prioritizes accessibility, equity and continuous learning.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• University degree with a concentration in computing science or related field, coupled with a minimum of 5 years managing, planning and deploying a complex array of enterprise and departmental systems, and services.
• A minimum of 5 years' experience leading and managing professional and technical staff in a large, complex organization, preferably in the higher education sector.
• Proven ability to work effectively with both technical and non-technical people in a constructive and professional manner to yield successful outcomes and quality service.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience with enterprise ITSM (ServiceNow or equivalent).
• Demonstrated administration experience with Microsoft 365 and Azure/Windows Server.
• Demonstrated experience in supporting online proctoring platforms (ie: ProctorU, Proctortrack).
• Knowledge of Incident/Change/Event processes (ITIL Foundation preferred).
• Knowledge of endpoint/security tools (Intune/Microsoft Defender) and basic cyber security operations.
• Knowledge of enterprise networking (Aruba and Fortinet).
• Knowledge of identity/governance solutions (SailPoint or equivalent).
• Knowledge of basic scripting/automation (ie: PowerShell).
• Certifications such as ServiceNow CSA, Fortinet NSE, Azure Fundamentals/Administrator or CompTIA Security+ are an asset.
• Proven ability to embrace and champion adoption of emerging technologies.
• Strong leadership and ability to coach, mentor and challenge team while communicating effectively with all stakeholders.
• Understands IT systems and services that are widely used across campus and commands the ability to apply that knowledge to planning, prioritizing and solving daily issues.
• Consideration may be given to an equivalent combination of education and experience.

SPECIAL SKILLS:
• Building Relationships: builds constructive working relationships characterized by a high level of acceptance, cooperation, and mutual respect.
• Business Acumen: builds strong business acumen by sustaining a strong customer service perspective.
• Change Management: champions change and fosters the team and environment for change.
• Collaboration and Teamwork: promotes collaboration and commitment within a team to achieve goals and deliverables.
• Communication: displays confidence and articulates a clear message when interacting with diverse audiences utilizing excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Client Orientation: builds and maintains a client-centric culture by working closely with the customer while maintaining a high level of client satisfaction.
• Decision Making & Judgement: relies on experience, thinking several steps ahead in deciding the best course of current/future actions to develop, recommend policy framework based on analysis of emerging trends.
• Integrity: earns others’ trust and respect through consistent honesty and professionalism in all interactions.
• Initiative: acts to address problems; focuses on results and desired outcomes and how best to achieve them and gets the job done.
• Leadership: sets clear, meaningful, challenging, and attainable common goals and expectations that are linked to the mission, vision, values and goals aligned with the organization and strives to achieve them.
• Planning & Organizing: executes proposed actions within predetermined timelines against organizational goals. Develops and integrates current/future plans to achieve the overall organization goals.
• Strategic Perspective: develops and proactively implements long term organizational goals, considering the competitive landscape, that will move the organization forward.
• Innovation: develops creative ideas that provide solutions to all types of workplace challenges.
• Driving for Results: demonstrates a desire to meet and exceed one’s own performance objectives. Not accepting the status quo, takes a calculated risk to improve the organization’s performance.
• Developing Others: enables team members to grow and succeed through consistent constructive feedback, and encouragement.
• Self-Development: displays an ongoing commitment to learning and self-improvement to enhance the performance of the team.

DECISION MAKING:
• Determines development and support requirements, contribute to the development of strategic plans and objectives, and participate in budget planning and decision‐making as a member of the broader IT Services Leadership Team.
• Assesses appropriate “fit” of technical solutions relative to functional requirements, conformance to university standards, and ability to integrate within the Queen’s IT architecture.
• Plans new initiatives within ITSC, and upon request, technological initiatives for other units and departments. Determine project guidelines and timelines.
• Allocates time and resources such that objectives are achieved, operational requirements are met, or to ensure project completion, based on the priority of current workloads. Make decisions on completeness of all related development and support assignments, relative to planning timelines and project work plans. Decide how work may be assigned based on the skill sets, competencies and workloads of the team members. Appropriately prioritize, implement and oversee responses to urgent or emergency situations.
• Evaluates job candidates and makes effective recommendations on suitable hires.
• Makes decisions and/or effective recommendations regarding transfers and promotions.
• Evaluates employee performance and decides on appropriate training or coaching to address lack of proficiency in carrying out responsibilities, or remedial action for staff disciplinary situations.
• Assesses investigation outcome of grievances and makes effective recommendations on appropriate course of action or next steps on grievances.
• Makes effective recommendations on level of discipline up to discharge and probationary termination.
• Working as a member of the Manager Team, determine approach to ensure all areas are supporting each other and collectively meeting IT Services goals.
• Determines when to advise or involve the senior management.

Employment Equity and Accessibility Statement

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Queen's is strongly committed to employment equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace and encourages applications from Black, racialized persons, Indigenous people, women, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQI+ persons. In accordance with Canadian Immigration requirements, priority will be given to those who are legally eligible to work in Canada.

The University provides support in its recruitment processes to all applicants who require accommodation due to a protected ground under the Ontario Human Rights Code, including those with disabilities. Candidates requiring accommodation during the recruitment process are asked to contact Human Resources at hradmin@queensu.ca.